The NewsVirginian reported on the BOS plans to vote on the need for a park in Verona and if this site will be a good spot...
The potential site is located off Interstate 81 in Verona. A portion of the
land was conveyed in the 1980s to Augusta County after a new sewer treatment
plant was built, and the old Verona Sewer Treatment Plant was abandoned. The
rest of the land came in a conveyance in 1995 from the Chesapeake Western
Railway.
land was conveyed in the 1980s to Augusta County after a new sewer treatment
plant was built, and the old Verona Sewer Treatment Plant was abandoned. The
rest of the land came in a conveyance in 1995 from the Chesapeake Western
Railway.
The project gained momentum in December 2006 when infrastructure funding and
matching grants of nearly $500,000 were lined up from supervisors pending the
securing of a right of way from American Safety Razor.
The preliminary plan for phase one of the park includes passive recreation
such as for picnics, a walking trail and practice for youth and adult sports
teams. Lighting was not recommended for phase one.
Karaffa said his concerns about the location include the fact that the site
once included a wastewater treatment plant, that a portion of it is located in a
flood plain and the potential cost to develop a park. He also said there are
registered sex offenders living close to the park.
Mr Karaffa seems to be turning in to quite the politician. This is a slight of hand and nothing more. By preying on citizens lack of knowledge of how fund allocations work. If the park funding is cut, the money is returned to supervisors infrastructure accounts. Its NOT returned to the county's general budget to be used for teacher pay, sheriffs deputies or fire and rescue as he insinuates, becasue, well, its not reoccuring revenue suchs as taxes. Mr Karaffa made a lot of expensive promises to get elected. Its pretty safe to say that the only reason he is cutting this park is so that the funds can be placed back into his infrastructure account so that he can later spend the money on those other "promises" in other parts of the district. Most likely spending them on projects in "rainbow city". Meanwhile the citizens of Verona get nothing for their community, once again.
ReplyDeleteWell, well, well, that didn't take long. This has Pyles' signature all over it. His district already got its recreation(not sure if anyone is actually using them) and now as said above, an actual growing community in the center of the county gets put on the back burner once again. Verona continues to be the orphan town of the county. I see Karaffa was vague as to what other items will be a better use of these previously committed funds... Anyone want to venture a guess? Has the Gang come up with its plans? Will the SWACster do an in depth expose?
ReplyDeleteActually it might be a good thing that Pyles was made Chairman for this way he will be in the spotlight even more and watched more closely. Welcome the comments and good to see these issues out there for all to see.... Time to watch Karaffa play "Politician".....
ReplyDeleteRightSide- the fact that many controversial issues are coming before the board this year MAY explain why the support for Pyles as chairman was unanimous. Beyler, Moore and Wills have probably calculated that it was best to throw him this bone and let him take the heat. I don't blame them! I fully expect for some classical "Pastures Petulance" to show itself soon when it becomes apparent there is no where to spread the blame.
ReplyDeleteAt times the best thing to do is put the noisemakers to the front of the class so all can see them for what they are....
ReplyDeleteI have to agree with averagejoe on the misstatement of facts. First I think this decision was rammed through, to keep citizens in the dark and public input at a minimum. Which is ironic as the new supervisors ran on a platform of having public input as a maximum. I attended the meeting when this park was killed. There was talk of a petition against the park but no mention of the other petitions totaling several hundred signatures in support of the park? I understand the issue of citizens not wanting to use locust street as an access. When Supervisor Karaffa was asked about an alternative access he stated the money allocated for the park did not include buying right of way from ASR, so there wasn’t an option of an alternative entrance because of no funding to buy it and construct it. I spoke with the former supervisor regarding this and he said that while there was no money specifically allocated for the right of way (because ASR was willing to donate the right of way) and if ASR did change their minds and the right of way was to be purchased, the purchase of that right of way ALONG WITH construction of the new entrance qualified for funding through a VDOT Grant. None of this was mentioned by Supervisor Karaffa or other Supervisors at the meeting. Either he didn’t know (which I don’t see how could have not known) or he knew and just failed to mention it in order to kill the park for political reasons and not the good of the Verona Community. Augusta Springs Park is located within the same site as a County Waste Area, with cars, trucks and commercial trucks coming and going constantly and several other county parks are within flood plains. Once again the citizens of Verona have to beg and plead to be able to get recreation while other areas get it without question. Again, I do not trust this new board in being truthful on issues.
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